Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 where applicable
A US residential address
An SSN or ITIN if you have one; a passport number if not
An opening deposit, which varies by institution

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch in your first week
Bring passport, Oregon address and SSN or ITIN if issued. The federal Customer Identification Program rule explicitly permits a passport number and country of issuance in place of a taxpayer number for non-US persons. A refusal on that ground is branch policy, not law — escalate or try elsewhere.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Try an Oregon credit union alongside a national bank
Oregon has an unusually deep credit union sector — OnPoint, Advantis, Unitus, Rivermark and others — and they are frequently more flexible about thin files and better priced on loans than the national banks. Membership usually turns on living or working in a set of counties, which you now do.
In personWho: You
3
Set up direct deposit immediately
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts, and it is the cheapest thing on this list to get right.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
4
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a refundable deposit, typically around $500, and receive a card with a matching limit that reports to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion like any other. Length of history counts as much as behaviour, so the clock is what you are buying — start it before you need credit.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
5
Use the transit network instead of financing a car early
Financing a vehicle with no credit file means a large down payment or a rate several points above market, often thousands of dollars over the loan. Portland is the US city in this set where waiting six months is realistic, because MAX, the streetcar and the bike network actually cover the inner city.
Mobile appWho: You
6
Autopay the full statement balance
Scores respond to on-time payment and low utilisation, not to interest paid. Keep the balance under about 30% of the limit and clear it monthly. Carrying a balance builds nothing except interest at 20% and above.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport, with country of issuance serving as the identifying number if you have no SSN or ITIN
Visa and I-94, where applicable
SSN card or ITIN letter, if issued
Proof of Oregon address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some banks and lenders as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

No credit history is treated worse than bad credit history.

American underwriting scores a file, and a file that does not exist cannot be scored at all. A well-paid newcomer can be declined for an apartment, a phone contract and a car loan in the same fortnight while holding a perfect record in their home country. Nothing transfers across the border — not your mortgage record, not your decade with the same bank.

Source: community-reported

Federal rules let a bank take your passport instead of an SSN.

The Customer Identification Program rule accepts a passport number and country of issuance for non-US persons, and many branch staff do not know it. Being turned away is common and is not a legal outcome. Print the CFPB guidance, ask for a manager, or go to a credit union that publishes a newcomer process — waiting weeks for a number you may never be eligible for is the avoidable mistake.

Source: FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual — Customer Identification Program

Portland's rent screening rules soften the credit problem more than most cities do.

The city's Fair Access In Renting ordinance caps required income at 2 to 2.5 times rent, limits which criteria may be used, and requires an individual assessment with written reasons before a denial. Landlords elsewhere routinely demand 3× income plus a US credit score. Here the same thin file is far less likely to end in an outright rejection, which changes the whole first-months sequence.

Source: City of Portland — Fair Access In Renting

Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.

A very large number of Americans believe you must revolve a balance to build a score. You do not. Scores respond to reported on-time payments and low utilisation, both of which you get by paying in full. The only thing revolving adds is an interest rate above 20% APR on money you already had.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit cards

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often sufficient.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file and accepting a punitive rate.
Delaying a secured card until you actually need credit.
Paying an avoidable monthly maintenance fee by never setting up direct deposit.
Assuming your home-country banking record counts for anything here. It counts for nothing.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.